The office of Westmoreland County Mental Health/Mental Retardation and Excela Health in Greensburg have completed the transition of the county's mental health service system, which has about 4,000 mentally ill clients.

The revised plan went into effect July 1 after Excela Health discontinued some outpatient programs.

Some service providers have expanded their services to meet the new demand while another agency will open a clinic in Greensburg to treat patients, said Kathy Wohlgemuth, director of the county's MH/MR program.

"We tried to open up the network for people who wanted to join the network," Wohlgemuth said. "Adequate services are available. Other clinics have either added staff or advised us that they can take on new individuals."

Clients who were receiving outpatient care at Excela now will be treated by a private provider or their family doctor, who can prescribe medication or refer them to treatment programs.

Wohlgemuth said there could be thousands of other mentally ill residents who are not in the system because they are not covered by Medicaid or they lack private insurance.

Excela Health no longer will handle court-ordered mental health evaluations. That service now will be handled by a private agency.

Evaluations now will be done by a new practice, Comprehensive Counseling and Assessment Services Inc. A new mental health clinic, Chestnut Ridge Counseling Services Inc., also has opened an office in Greensburg.

Children and adolescent outpatient services will be offered at Excela's Latrobe Area Hospital. Care for adults will be offered at Excela's Westmoreland Hospital in Greensburg. Adult partial hospitalization will remain open in Westmoreland Regional and emergency walk-in care will be available in both Greensburg and Latrobe hospitals.

The new plan is the result of a task force comprised of officials from the county, Excela mental health advocates and providers. Martin Lang, vice president of support services at Excela, said the task force will remain in operation to ensure the transition works smoothly.

"We also have some caregivers who will let us know if the transition is going smoothly," Lang said.

"We had a lot of meetings to get coordinated," Wohlgemuth added.

Westmoreland County has expanded its list of mental health providers and has established a Web site -- www.co.westmoreland.pa.us/mhmr -- that will provide information for clients about services.